Folding machine



- w. HoLMs Feb. s, 1949.

FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 1o, 1945 Patented Fel. 8, 1949 UNITED Qnaneent9 corporation :1f-New York Y Y Application Fehmarn 10, 19155,Serial No. 5 .Clin i. (c1. 27e-:68)

This invention relates to folding machines, more particularly to foldingmachines ofthe welll known buckle type embodying fold plates and feedingand folding rollers acting in conjunction therewith to feed sheets ofpaper therethrough and fold said sheets by buckling and feeding actionsproduced thereon.

One of the objects of the presen-t invention is to provide, in abuckletype `folding machine, novel means for positioning the vfold platesheet stops.

Another object of the invention is Yto provide a buckle type foldingmachine `hav-ing novel means for accurately and quickly positioning thefold plate sheet stops, said means being so mounted and arranged thatthe fold .plateado Anot interfere with the sheet stop positioning,operation.

Another object is to provide :a novel .mechanism whereby the fold platesheet vstops may `be quickly positioned in a preliminary setting :andthen moved with extreme accuracy to a nalset.-

ting', both operations being performed vfrom the free ends of the foldplates.

The above and further objects and novel fatures of the present inventionwill more fully api pear from the following detail description when thesame is read in connection with t-li accom'- panyng drawings. Itis to beeXprssly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration only, and are notinte'rided as a deiinition of the limitsof the invention, reference for this latter purpose being had primarilyto theappended claims. l y

1n the drawings, wherein like reference char'- acters refer to likeparts throughout the several Views v l.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of a buckle typefolding machine embody# ing the present invention; v M

Fig. 2 is a bottoni plan view, on a reduced scale, of one of the foldplates shown in 1 Fig. 3 is an enlargedv'fragmentary transverse sectionon the Ifnet-'3 of Fig. 1; y 'i l y Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentarytransverse section on the line 4--4 `of Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 is a brokenvertical longitudinal section, on a larger scale, of one of thesheet-'stopadjiistl ing units shown in Figs. l and 2.

Referring to the drawings, the present .invention is herein shown, byWayof eXa'rnpleVa'senija :d apiuiitypf of petal-lei. enger riy disposedfoie nietes it, fr, feV apn r9 mantenuta@ tgthanibeitd-Cheen; ,o'f thefolds niet are to be mede in the Rbl'lrs .to t5 are at their oppositeends in suitable vbe 'gs carried a frame 26, arid are' mi., se and einenbi/ ain 'Suitable meats .ior this nose, P fildrlat. t, t9 r ofwellltndwii construction; ea-ch crnfi'sfing grid- The sheets t6 befbidei are f thereof @ver and ,along einer@ il table @l rehearsed i6118:2 and'eteriine diesen@ 4 well lsrwwnec si .Cavalaire lsfuepefftsuitable, marmer trame ,250; :andfrcllers 12.3 .are drivenby-.anr-suitahlemeans:

Infthe pperatenef "t Y v four Ifoldsiare ilo-bemoeien is,deliveredioygfeed table 2 tu, M which furtheriadvancefsaidzshee .inlandalong fold plate It untill-the leading edge .of ,the sheet strikes the:Stoll-2311i Saflfplnte.` @han elfigagement :of the .sheet .withstop2.31m fold `.plate i6; and dueto continued feedingiactiongof rollerslf0;|.;| ,on the' 1,trailing portion y.of said-sheet; l.the latter -iscaused :t-o ibuclrle towards .-rciiers im; t2, and enters .between .saidrollers, thereby `'forming the -fir'strfold in fthe-sheet'. Theon'cefolde'dislieet is then advanced by @rollers flzl, J2 .into'.andA-longing edge thereof strikes the stop 23 in said plate, whereupon the sheetis caused to buckle towards rollers I3, I4, and enters between saidrollers, thus forming the third fold in said sheet. From rollers I3, I4the folded sheet passes into and along the yfold plate I9, and uponengagement with the stop`23 in said plate, saidV sheet is caused tobucklejtowards.,rollerjfl4, I5, a'ndenters-between said rollers, therebyforming the fourth fold in the sheet.

The folded sheets are delivered by rollers I4 and I5 between pairs offeed rollers 29 fordelivery thereby onto a stacking apron, or onto across carrier adapted to advance the folded sheets to a second or crossfold section or unit similar to the rst fold section, but disposed atright angles to the latter, for imparting vadditional fold or folds inthe sheets at right angles to the foldV and quickly effected. The sheetstop moving means are identical in construction and operation for eachfold plate; therefore, a description of said moving means with respectto one of the fold plates will sulce for all of the fold plates.

As herein shown, each fold plate is provided atthe end opposite to themouth thereof with two brackets 3D which are preferably secured, as bybolts 3l, to the bottom and adjacent opposite` sides of the plate 22 ofsaid fold plate. Brackets project beyond the end 'of' the fold plate,and each is formed with a circular opening 32 (Fig. 5) extendinglongitudinally therethrough, and with a slot or groove 33 perpendicularto theaxisof opening 32 and passing through the latter and open at thetop of said bracket. Brackets 38 are disposed centrally with respect totwo of the slots 26, preferably the endmost slots, in plate 22.

Fitted for sliding movement in the openings 3'2 of brackets 30are'sleeves 34 externally threaded and formed at their inner ends withenlargedV circular heads 35 disposed beneath plate 22. Heads 35 areprovided with flatportions 33 (Fig.- 3) adjacent plate 22 in order toprovide clearance for sleeves 34. Sleeves 34`are formed with broachedopenings 31 (Figs. 4 and 5) extending therethrough to receive and guidesquare bars 38 -for movement longitudinally of the fold plate toward andaway from the mouth of said plate. The forward ends of bars 38 areconnected with the sheet stop bar 24 adjacentV opposite ends thereof vbyshouldered studs 39 which extend loosely through said sheet stop bar andthrough the endmost slots 26 in plate 22, and are threaded in saidsquare bars. Spacers 40 surrounding studs 39 and disposed between sheetstop 23 and bars 38. hold said stop and bars in proper spaced relation.The outwardly projecting ends-of bars 38 have secured theretomanipulating knobs or handles 4I. Disposed within grooves 33 in brackets30 and threadedly engaged with sleeves 34 knurled lock nuts 43. Heads 35of sleeves 34 have threaded therein thumb screws 44 adaptedl to beengaged with bars 38 for releasably connecting said bars with saidsleeves.

It will thus appear that when it is desired to effect any considerablemovement of sheet stop 23 in any one of the fold plates, this can beconveniently and quickly accomplished from the free or remote` end ofthe fold plate, by rst loosening thumb screws 44, then grasping knobs 4|and sliding bars 38 and therewith the sheet stop 23 manually toward oraway from the mouth of the fold plate until said stop is in a positioncorresponding approximately to the position desired for making :aparticular type or size of vfold in the sheet. This coarse orpreliminary setting of the sheet stop 23 is facilitated by graduations45 on the inner sides of bars 38, which are easily visible and read atthe outer ends of the sleeves 34. After sheet stop 23 has been moved toan approximate position as described, the thumb screws 44 are againtightened to connect bars 38 with sleeves 34, whereupon the sheet stopis given a line, final setting which is also quickly and convenientlyaccomplished from the free or remote end of the fold plate, by rstloosening lock nuts 43, and then rotating the adjusting nuts d2 in theproper direction, resulting in minute axial movements of sleeves 34 andtherewith the sheet stop 23 through bars 38, and location of said sheetstop in accurate fold effecting position. Lock nuts 43 are then againtightened to lock the sheet stop 23 in adjusted position. It will beunderstood that the final line adjustment of sheet stop 23 is made afterthe folding machine has been started and after I' one or more testsheets have been run through said machine.

It will also appear that due to the pivotal connections 39 for the sheetstop 23 with the bars 38, the latter may be moved within limitsindependently of each other whereby opposite ends of the sheet stop maybe adjusted to square-up the same with respect to the fold plate or withrespect to the edge of the sheet moved into contact therewith.

There is thus provided novel means for accurately and quicklypositioning the sheet stops in fold plates of buckle type foldingmachines, without the use of tools. and without injury to the operatorin not requiring the operator to reach-in over or under the fold plates,or between two closely spaced fold plates. Additionally, preliminarycoarse and final ne adjustments of the sheet stops may both be effectedfrom the remote ends of the fold plates, and in this manner accuratepositioning of the sheet stops may be accomplished more quickly and moreconveniently, resulting in a decrease in folder set-up time, and in anincrease in output of folded sheets.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustratedand described in the foregoing specification, and in connection with thefirst fold section or unit of ,a buckle type folding machine, it is tobe expressly understood that said invention may be embodied in any orall of the multi-fold sections or units of such a machine, and thatchanges may be made therein, particularly in the design and arrangementof the parts without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention, as will now be clear to those skilled in the art. Forexample, the brackets 33 and all parts associated therewith may bemounted on the upper plate 2| instead of on the lower plate 22 of thefold plate, and round rods may lbe substituted for the square bars 38.

Further, in the case of small fold plates only one sheet stop movingunit mounted centrally oi the fold plate may be employed. For a denitionoi the limits of the invention, reference is had primarily to theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a fold plate for buckle type folding machines having a sheet stopassociated therewith, means for moving said sheet stop along the foldplate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movableelongated member connected with said sheet stop and extending therefrombeyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof forrapidly moving said member and the sheet stop therewith longitudinallyof said fold plate, a bracket carried by said fold plate at said end, anexternally threaded member slidably carried by sai-d bracket and guidingsaid elongated member ior movement toward and away from the mouth of thefold plate, a nut threaded on said threaded member and held by saidbracket against axial movement relative to said threaded member forslowly moving the latter longitudinally of said fold plate an-d saidelongated member, and means for releasably connecting said elongatedmember with said threaded member for movement with the latter uponrotation of said nut.

2. In a fold plate for buckle type folding machines having a sheet stopassociated therewith, means for moving said'sheet stop along the foldplate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movableelongated member connected with said sheet stop and extending therefrombeyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof forrapidly moving said member and the sheet stop therewith longitudinallyof said fold plate, a bracket carried by said fold plate at said end, anexternally threaded member slidably carried by said bracket and guidingsaid elongated member for movement toward and away from the mouth of thefold plate, a nut threaded on said threaded member and held by saidbracket against axial movement relative to said threaded member forslowly moving the latter longitudinally of said fold plate and saidelongated member, means for releasably connecting said elongated memberwith said threaded member for movement with the latter upon rotation ofsaid nut, and a lock nut threaded on said threaded member.

3. In a fold plate for buckle type folding niachines having a sheet stopassociated therewith, means for moving said sheet stop along the foldplate to various positions, comprising a longitudinally movable barsquare in cross section connected with said sheet stop and extendingtherefrom beyond the end of the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereoffor rapidly moving said bar and the sheet stop therewith longitudinallyof said fold plate, said bar having graduations thereon, a bracketsecured to the fold plateY at said end, an externally threaded sleeveslidably carried by said bracket and guiding said bar for movementtoward and away from the mouth of the fold plate, one end of said sleevecooperating with said graduations to determine the location of saidsheet stop with respect to said fold plate, a nut threaded on the sleeveand held by said 6, bracket against axial movement relative to saidsleevefor slowly moving the latterV longitudinally of said fold plateand said bar, and screw means for releasably connecting said bar withsaid sleeve for movement with the latter upon rotation cf said nut.

fl.' In a fold plate for buckle type folding ma* chines having asheet-stop bar slidably mounted thereon, means for moving saidsheet-stop bar along the fold plate, `comprising a pair oflongitadinally movable elongated members, means for pivotally connectingcorresponding ends of said members with said sheet-stop bar adjacentoppo site ends thereof, said members extending from the sheet stop barbeyond the end or the fold plate opposite to the mouth thereof forrapidly moving the same and the sheet stop bar therewith longitudinallyof the fold plate, a pair of brackets secured to the fold plate at saidend, externally threaded sleeves slidably carried by said brackets andguiding said members for movement toward and away from the mouth of thefold plate, nuts threaded on the sleeves and held by said bracketsagainst axial movement relative to said sleeves for slowly moving thelatterlongitudinally of `said fold plate and said members, and means forreleasably connecting said members with said sleeves for movementtherewith upon rotation of said nuts.

5. In a buckle type folding machine having a foid plate and a movablesheet stop associated therewith, of mechanism for manually lmoving saidsheet stop to various positions lengthwise of -said fold plate,comprising an elongated member movable axially lengthwise of said foldplate and extending from saidsheet stop in all positions thereof beyondthe end opposite to the mouth of said fold plate, said member beingadapted to move said sheet stop through largel increments in oppositedirections along said fold plate, means for connecting said member andsaid sheet stop and for holding the same against relative axialmovement, supporting and guiding means surrounding said member andcarried by said fold f plate at said end for axial movement relative tosaid member and fold plate, means for moving said supporting and guidingmeans in opposite directions axially of said member through smallincrements, and mean-s for releasably connecting said supporting andguiding means with said member in all relative positions of the latter,whereby said small increment movements will be imparted to said sheetstop.

WALTER HOLMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

